Deep Brain Stimulation

More than 2.5 million people in the United States are affected by movement disorders including Parkinson's Disease, essential tremor and dystonia. Baylor All Saints offers Deep Brain Stimulation, an innovative treatment available to help potentially eliminate symptoms and allow patients to regain control of their bodies and resume an active life.

Known as the "brain pacemaker," Deep Brain Stimulation involves placing small electrodes in one or both sides of the brain. A neurosurgeon on the medical staff at Baylor uses electrical stimulation to block nerve cells to test for improvement of symptoms. Unlike prior treatments that involved either burning or freezing brain tissue, Deep Brain Stimulation is non-destructive and can be electronically modified to meet individual patient's needs. Computer software and CT and MRI scans help surgeons place the electrodes in a precise area of the brain. Patients are awake during most of the procedure.